The appreciation of the need for an orthotic insert to be placed between a shoe and the person's foot has increased substantially within the last few years now that one's awareness of physical fitness has become greater.
Moreover, the penalties associated with improper footwear in terms of support and design have become painfully evident to a large majority of exercisers since deficient designs become readily apparent when an associated physical problem becomes manifest due to the increased exercise now being undertaken in general.
The ensuing patent application deals with improvements over applicant's own patents, U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,002 issued Nov. 30, 1976, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,626 issued Dec. 9, 1980.
The former may be regarded as teaching the use of an orthotic casting system in which a negative mold is developed which is used to produce a positive form having the general contour of a person's foot which is then used as a base upon which an orthotic device is constructed traditionally at a remote site.
The latter is concerned with providing angulation for the heel portion of a person's foot by providing a heel insert which is deformable and when suitably manipulated can be deformed so that the contour of one's foot can be reflected in the insert, while at the same time beneficial angulation of the foot can simultaneously occur.